referendums

简明释义

[ˌrɛf.əˈrɛn.dəmz][ˌrɛf.əˈrɛn.dəmz]

n. 投票,公投(referendum 复数)

英英释义

A referendum is a direct vote in which an entire electorate is invited to vote on a particular proposal and can result in the adoption of new laws or policies.

公投是指整个选民被邀请对特定提案进行直接投票,结果可能导致新法律或政策的通过。

单词用法

conduct a referendum

进行公投

hold a referendum

举行公投

national referendums

全国性公投

local referendums

地方性公投

同义词

plebiscites

公投

The government decided to hold a plebiscite on the new constitution.

政府决定就新宪法举行公投。

ballots

投票

Citizens will cast their ballots on election day.

公民将在选举日投票。

votes

投票

The vote showed overwhelming support for the proposed changes.

投票显示出对提议变更的压倒性支持。

public votes

公众投票

Public votes are essential in a democratic society.

公众投票在民主社会中至关重要。

反义词

authoritarian decision

专制决策

The government made an authoritarian decision without consulting the public.

政府在没有咨询公众的情况下做出了专制决策。

dictatorship

独裁

In a dictatorship, the leader makes all the important decisions unilaterally.

在独裁统治中,领导者单方面做出所有重要决策。

例句

1.This absence, and all those lost referendums, carry a message: the great treaty-drafting machine that has kept European integration pressing forward for decades has, for now, seized up.

缺少未来计划、败北于全国公投,不难窥见如此信息:伟大的协议起草机器长达数十年忙于推动欧洲一体化,如今该机器运转失灵了。

2.Dissent, whether expressed through referendums, elections or the debating Chambers of national parliaments, will have only a limited impact.

不同意见,不管是来自全民公决、选举还是国家的议会辩论,都只能施加有限的影响。

3.Mr Berlusconi opted not to fight on the issues, but instead to appeal to the courts to stop the referendums happening.

贝卢斯科尼选择不在这些问题上争辩,转而向法庭献殷勤,企图阻止公投发生。

4.It is an identity that revolves around neutrality, and, yes, an awkward tradition of citizens' referendums.

这是一个徘徊在中立周围的身份,也是一个对公民公投尴尬的传统。

5.Most alarmingly, though, is that the Lisbon Treaty can be extended indefinitely without recourse to further treaties or referendums.

然而,更令人震惊的是,里斯本条约可以在未来不需要补充协议或全民公决的条件下无限期延长。

6.Unlike in places like California and Switzerland, referendums are extremely rare in Greece, with the last such vote held in 1974 when the country voted to abolish the monarchy.

和美国加州、瑞士等地不同,全民公投在希腊极其罕见,上一次公投要追溯到遥远的1974年,当时是为了废除君主制。

7.In California, for instance, voters have the right to vote on specific fiscal policies in referendums.

例如,在加利福尼亚投票人有权在公投中对特别财政政策进行投票。

8.Markets are unlikely to wait for the EU to call a constitutional convention, debate schemes for integration and negotiate a text, only to see it buffeted in parliamentary votes and referendums.

市场不可能等待欧盟召集一个制宪会议,讨论一体化的计策,并形成谈判的文本,只能看到欧盟在议会投票和公投中遭受打击。

9.Many countries hold referendums 公投 to allow citizens to vote directly on important issues.

许多国家举行referendums 公投,以允许公民直接对重要问题投票。

10.The government announced a series of referendums 公投 on constitutional reforms.

政府宣布了一系列关于宪法改革的referendums 公投

11.The recent referendums 公投 in Scotland sparked a national debate about independence.

苏格兰最近的referendums 公投引发了关于独立的全国性辩论。

12.In Switzerland, referendums 公投 are a common way for the public to influence policy.

在瑞士,referendums 公投是公众影响政策的常见方式。

13.Some politicians argue that referendums 公投 can lead to divisive outcomes.

一些政治家认为,referendums 公投可能导致分裂的结果。

作文

In modern democracies, the concept of direct participation by citizens in decision-making processes has gained significant attention. One of the most prominent methods through which this participation is realized is through referendums. A referendum is a direct vote in which an entire electorate is invited to vote on a particular proposal and can result in the adoption of new legislation or policy. This process allows citizens to express their opinions directly on important issues, such as constitutional amendments, changes in laws, or significant national policies.The use of referendums has been prevalent in various countries around the world. For instance, Switzerland is known for its frequent use of referendums, allowing citizens to influence legislation on a wide range of issues, from tax policies to social reforms. This practice not only empowers citizens but also enhances the legitimacy of political decisions, as they are made with the direct consent of the people.However, the implementation of referendums is not without its challenges. One major concern is the potential for misinformation and emotional appeals to sway public opinion. In many cases, complex issues are distilled into simple yes-or-no questions, which may not adequately capture the nuances of the topic at hand. For example, during the Brexit referendum in the United Kingdom, many voters were faced with a complicated decision that had far-reaching implications, yet the campaign was often dominated by oversimplified messages and misleading information.Moreover, the outcomes of referendums can sometimes lead to divisions within society. When a referendum results in a narrow victory for one side, it can create a sense of disenfranchisement among those who voted against the proposal. This was evident in the 2016 U.S. election when the contentious nature of the vote left many Americans feeling polarized and uncertain about the future. Therefore, while referendums can be a tool for democratic engagement, they also carry the risk of deepening societal divides.Another issue related to referendums is the timing and frequency of these votes. Frequent referendums can lead to voter fatigue, where citizens become overwhelmed by constant decision-making demands. This can ultimately result in lower voter turnout and apathy towards the political process. Countries like Italy have experienced this phenomenon, where multiple referendums in a short period led to diminishing public interest in participating.Despite these challenges, referendums remain an essential aspect of participatory democracy. They provide a platform for citizens to voice their opinions and influence the political landscape. To enhance the effectiveness of referendums, it is crucial to ensure that voters are well-informed about the issues at stake. This can be achieved through unbiased information campaigns and educational initiatives aimed at helping citizens understand the complexities of the proposals being voted on.In conclusion, referendums serve as a powerful mechanism for citizen engagement in democratic processes. While they present certain challenges, such as the risk of misinformation and societal division, their potential to empower citizens and legitimize political decisions cannot be overlooked. As democracies continue to evolve, finding ways to effectively implement referendums will be key to fostering a more engaged and informed electorate.

在现代民主国家,公民直接参与决策过程的概念引起了广泛关注。实现这种参与的最显著方式之一就是通过公投公投是一个直接投票的过程,整个选民被邀请对特定提案进行投票,并可能导致新立法或政策的通过。这个过程使公民能够直接表达他们对重要问题的看法,例如宪法修正案、法律变更或重大国家政策。公投在世界各国的使用已经相当普遍。例如,瑞士以其频繁使用公投而闻名,允许公民在从税收政策到社会改革等广泛问题上影响立法。这一做法不仅赋予了公民权力,还增强了政治决策的合法性,因为这些决策是经过人民的直接同意而作出的。然而,公投的实施并非没有挑战。一个主要问题是误信息和情感诉求可能会影响公众舆论。在许多情况下,复杂的问题被简化为简单的是或否的问题,这可能无法充分反映问题的细微差别。例如,在英国脱欧公投期间,许多选民面临着一个复杂的决定,该决定具有深远的影响,但运动往往被简化的信息和误导性信息所主导。此外,公投的结果有时会导致社会内部的分歧。当公投以一方的微弱胜利告终时,那些投票反对提案的人可能会感到被剥夺权利。这在2016年美国大选中显而易见,投票的争议性质使许多美国人感到两极分化和对未来的不确定。因此,尽管公投可以作为民主参与的工具,但它们也有加深社会分裂的风险。与公投相关的另一个问题是投票的时间和频率。频繁的公投可能会导致选民疲劳,公民可能会因不断的决策要求而感到不堪重负。这最终可能导致投票率下降和对政治过程的冷漠。像意大利这样的国家经历了这一现象,短时间内的多次公投导致公众参与兴趣的减弱。尽管存在这些挑战,公投仍然是参与民主的重要方面。它们为公民提供了一个表达意见和影响政治格局的平台。为了提高公投的有效性,确保选民对所涉及问题有充分了解至关重要。这可以通过无偏见的信息宣传和教育倡议来实现,旨在帮助公民理解所投票提案的复杂性。总之,公投作为一种公民参与民主过程的强大机制。尽管它们存在某些挑战,例如误信息和社会分裂的风险,但它们赋予公民权力和合法化政治决策的潜力不容忽视。随着民主的不断发展,找到有效实施公投的方法将是促进更具参与性和信息化选民的关键。